With 1 in 4 individuals in the United States reporting a disability, it is critical to understand the barriers students with disabilities experience as they transition from higher education to the workforce. Specifically, there is a need to illuminate what challenges and opportunities exist to delivering accessible career preparation services at educational institutions. This study examined this from the unique perspectives of career center staff engaging students with disabilities (SWD) in career preparation services at public four-year colleges and universities in North Carolina. The study’s methods consisted of four focus groups, each with two to six career center staff from eight universities within the University of North Carolina School System. Further, to gain more comprehensive insights into the varied barriers and opportunities associated with the delivery of career preparation services, focus groups targeted key career center staff positions: (1) director; (2) team lead; (3) frontline worker; and (4) employer engagement team members. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis and member checking process grounded in a constructivist paradigm. Results revealed that the eight career centers had similar challenges and programs but also had unique challenges and opportunities based on their resources, staff, student population, and the employers and departments with which they worked. The common thread throughout all four focus groups was that all staff members were seeking to create opportunities and support all students at their respective university. Some challenges mentioned across focus groups included the difficulty of disclosure from students, documenting programming and events, and having limited resources. In order to reduce barriers presented to the students with disabilities, participants discussed the importance of collaborations with on-campus staff and partner employers they work with, along with providing opportunities for specialized training for staff. Through these findings, recommendations are offered which include assessing what their career center is currently doing, and thinking creatively when offering new programming. As each participant reflected on their personal experiences and career center, they were all trying to provide the best opportunity for their students which looked different for each context.
